Dasher mechanism for washing machines



1951 A. w. ALTORFER, JR 2,575,938

DASHER MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Jan. 15, 1948 I 2 SHEETS-SHEET l 11-55:": 5 :1 /jj :11"; I: 11:" :Ij

550%,? waz yfl agent Nov. 20, 1951 ALTQRFER, JR 2,575,988

DASHER MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Jan. 15, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 I INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 2Q, 1951 i This invention pertains to improvements in washing machines and the dasher-mechanism thereoi. The improvements herein disclosed have to do primarily-with improvements in washing machines of the type in which the dasher, during the washing operation, is driven unidirectionally and in anorbital path of travel with respect to the upright walls-of the washing machinetub.

Washing machines involving the use of a "unidirectionally driven, eccentrically mounted dasher, thus capable of orbital travel, are known to the art, but 'inthe past these dashers have -a washingmachineof theabove-described class lmay be considerably enhanced by causing the dasher to be reciprocated through predetermined arcs at the same time as itis moved unidirec- "tionally through an orbital path of travel with respecttothetub; it i It is, therefore, the primary objectoflthc invention to provide a washing machine and dasher mechanism therefor which has increased washing capabilities through utilization of the "principlesset forth in the 'paragraph immediately "hereinabove, and still otherand further objects andadvantages will be apparent from the detailed description which follows and from perusal ofthedrawings. 1 Typical means for accomplishing the desired, results are shown on the accompanying somewhat diagrammatic drawings in whichz Fig. 1 is a vertical cross sectional view through a Washing machine comprising a typical form of my invention involving gear-type dasher operat-l ing means, thedasher being sectionedalong a line such as to show thegears, andthe lowerportion of the device being broken 'away'to typically show the usual motor, the speedreducing gear "mechanism and operating clutch; Fig .2 is a fragmentary plan view of the structure of Fig. 1, the dasher being sectioned'along a horizontal line to better illustrate the relative position of the parts andtheir respective ar- 'rangement for orbitall'ymoving the dasher while "simultaneously reciprocating it through predetermined arcs; 1 I i Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic showingof a modified form involving use of link-'and-levertype mecha- "-nism-ior accomplishing the sameresults as may MECHANISM FOR. WASHING? Kltorfer, cede-15, 4 pp cation January 15,1948; "Sei'ialNo. 2,521 I 90mm. (01:68-133) v be h'ad by the mechanism of i being indicated bybroken lines, and the linkand- Fig. 1, the dasher lever mechanism being shown at one extreme position assumed during its operation; and i Fig. 4:.is a showing of the same mechanismas that illustrated in Fig. 3, and shown at that 'ex- .treme'position of the link-and-levei mechanism oppositeof that shown in Fig. 3 with respect to the parts comprising "such mechanism:

Referring now to the drawings, particularl Figs; 1 and 2, referencenumeral l0 indicates "the washertub and reference 'cnumeral'l'l indicates generally the dasher. Dasher II is of tapered ihollow circular configurations, as shown, and'has a" plurality of vertically disposed vanes 12" at tached thereto which extend outwardly radially from the sides of the dasher wall 13. Extending across the bottom of the dasher is a reinforcing member [4 having a vertically extending opening i5 therein at the geometric center of! the dasher and in alignment with the vertical axis of such dasher to receive a dasher drive lug or axle i6.

\ arm 22.

Off-setfrom opening I5 is another opening H in reinforcing member Hi to receive the upwardly directed lug [8 of the hereinafter described As best seenin Fig. 2, dasher axle IE is rigidly attached to a horizontally disposed annular gear l9 in"eccentric, off-set relation to the axis of such gear. *Gear I9 is meshed with another horir zontally disposed annular gear 20 which is provided with an upwardly directed opening'adja- -'cent its periphery to receive the downwardly directed lug 2! of arm 22. l "Gear 20 is mounted for rotation on a stub axle T 23 which finds support in a base plate 24 immediately above the bottom of tub I0. Base plate -dasher'drive shaft 26.

within thetub l0, drive shaft 26 carries gear l9 andat its lower end is journalled for passage into the combined reduction gear and clutch mechahism diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1, and indicated by reference'numeral 21.

It is desired to particularly point out that drive shaft 26 preferably extends upwardly through sleeve bearing 25 at the geometrical center of the bottom of tub l0.

Reduction gear and clutch mechanism 2] is J conventional, serving to reduce the speed of rota- --tion of the shaft 28 of motor 29 sufiicientlyto impart to 'vertical drive shaft 26 a rotation of about 200 revolutions per minute, and also serving through interconnected hand lever 30 and operating rod 3| to permit actuation of internally located clutch mechanism whereby, without the motor being stopped, the washing mechanism may be halted for removal of the clothes from the tub as, for instance, for wringing.

If desired, the motor and the mechanism immediately associated therewith may be hidden within a skirt :IZ. I

It will'be apparent that since drive shaft-26 extends through the bottom of tub I at its geometrical center, and since such shaft is rigidly attached to gear I9 and dasherII ismountedon l its vertical axis on lug I6, which'is "marg the axis of gear I9, during operation of the moq 4 ticn will transmit reciprocation to link I43 which in its reciprocation will be guided and pivoted on second pivot rod I45 by means of cooperating slot I44. Due to its connected relation to link I43 second reciprocating bar I48 will be given a reciprocating movement which, due to its pivotally connected relation to dasher l I I, will be positively reciprocated within predetermined limits ,asit tran'scribesiits annular orbit;

As hereinbefore indicated,- this multiple combined movement of the dasher does a far better -job of washing than does a unidirectionally travtor 29 in the engaged condition of-the-above de scribed clutch, unidirectional rotation in an: or- V bital path of travel will be transmitted to' the imparted to gear 29 by gear I9, with which it is cintermeshed, ,will limparteto arm .22 annarcuate reciprocatory movement :which bytreason ,of the ,zrlinkage .ofvsuch arm to .the dasher twill. impart to the dashera reciprocatory movement .as it .transcribesitsaorbit. Theamount of reciproca etion or oscillation imparted to :the .dasherrmay be. varied in accordance with the diameter of .,gear 20.or the length of arml22 .and the,p0sition-. ring of its verticallyextending lugs I8, 2| with ;r,espect to the. axes, of the gear orrdasher. have achieved ,,highly,;excellent results, ,for, in- ,stance, byoscillating the dasherthrough forward and backward arcs, ofaround 760.

.hReferring now OcgEigSJB BJId 4,, rteference numeral III) indicatsthe bottom of the tub, III,

indicates thedasherand II2 ,indicatesthe dasher vanes fourof which are. shown.

A vertical, driveshaft I26 extends. -vertically throughthe tub IIIl at its geometric center and hasrigidly mounted ,on its upper end the eccen-i trio I I9 which carries, at its end the ,vertically extending dasher axle I-IIE which is ,freely rerocation as dasher iii, transcribes itstorbit.

,Spaced, from the slottedend vof loar IAQ is Ipivotally mounted at Hi6 one end, of a swinging link 143 which is provided with .an internal ,slot 144, the lateral edges of whichgare,parallel,.,as, shown. A verticallylextending pivot rod I45, like in form, mounting andpurposeto similar rod; I42, is engaged with slotIM. aAtits end opposite its. connection I46, to bar 149, designatedpl l'l, link. I43 ispivotally connected to a second reciprocating bar I48 whichat itsgendtopposite its connection to link I43 is pivotally, connected -to dasher .III on a pivot M9 at apointradially ofiset frcm1 the axis of, such dasher.

It will be obviousfrom theforegoing description of the structure of Figs. 3,and. 4. that as eccentric I I9 rotates carrying with it'dasherJ I I, the dasher is moved in an orbital path of travel. Arcuate reciprocatory-movement will then be transmitted .to first,reciprocatory bar I40 which will be guid- ;-edrand pivoted during-its ,arcuate reciprocation A onpivot rod I42. "Bar,Mllduringitscreciprocadasher. It will also be obvious that the rotation lin da sher which merely transcribes an orbit ndin whichthe reciprocatory movement, if any, n p the dasher is random, impositive, unpowered, or unpredeterm'i-ned. I attribute the enhanced reg sultsto theadditional agitation imparted to both the water and the clothes and to some degree to :the -inc'reased rubbingaction engendered by the combined movements of the dasher.

Havin shown and descr bed ;-mv: inv nt on in "considerable detai O-. iWi -h t is exactne of disclosure ;to.-,be takenin alimitipg but rather .anyillustrativesense, desiring to be limited nlvby the, scope ofsthe appendedclaims.

. I, claim; 7 r

1. In-.- ahziwashin ma hine .h v .ne a .t b; a dasher.- mounted, in the bottom ,of the tub ,;and xt ndine abovathe ,waterwiine-oizt tub;. n0 driven means for impartin ;c larbqd ly m r ment .to ,sajiddasher, in an orbital path about; a 1 fixed axis within said tub;.nem a q -idr ve -means;forimpartin roscil atory mgvemen t sai .dasherras. ittranscr es itsorbit small st-name ,means; including .atleast one movable element i, ofi set, -iwith respect tothe axis of saiddashe and a link connected in a reciprocatingrelation dasher.

tin-a w hin mach ne ha i a tu rsa dashm ans for 1 mpartin cul r-mqvement t .s idrdash n an.,.or ita pa hwi sa 'tub; andhmea s for im a t n o cillatory tm yemen .Itosaid -dasherasit transcribesits orbit, saidlastint ned m an :1. c dine o i e me t itset with respect to the axis ofj said dashenand a link oneepd :t e.-1. ter bei con es ed in ho -ax a re t on, to sai r tat n e ien rand rt eo h ;end;.be n c0nne.c ed toflsa lrl r. in 1 nxia relat on. the eto- Ina washingmach nehav n at b; adasher; means ,for imparting-circular movement .to

A .s .,,.c1 her.- man o b a a wi m aid tub;

andmeansfor impairtin osc l a o 'y move t t said dasher as it transcribes its orbit said lastrnamedlmeans comprising a pair of intermeshed 1 gears driven dul ng rotation of said dashenand a k, .Qne-e d of which. s I conne t nnonzaxialr lationrtq ne O a seears-and t e ot endof whichis; connected to said dasherinnonaxial .re1at on=;theret I .awa hin ma h ne h v n a u a dashler dr shaf afdash me sv for. imp rtin cireulanmqvem n o s idnda r n. ;.a .;.0 ,bita1 upathgvithini; said tub and means ;for imparting oscillatory movement to said dasher-a ittrans ribes.- .i s. o bit. said Jest-nam d mea s co cnr sine: a hQ z nta1 vdispo e e r, att c edt said da her, drive;- shaft; a secon e r meshed with. said first-menti ned-g ar n fs srela ion tothe axis of, saidjdasher drive shaft, andca link .interqmnec i ssa d-se ond: gear and said-dash r.

said link being connected with said secondgear andsaid dasher ingnoneaxial relation to each.

.5.1-.In 1a washin ma hinehay g a t a dashl'er... drive .shattshav ns; an eccentric mem e a 5 dasher axially mounted on said eccentric member eccentrically relative to the drive shaft; means for imparting circular movement to said dasher in an orbital path within said tub; and means for imparting oscillatory movement to said dasher as it transcribes its orbit; said last-named means comprising a first reciprocating element, one end of which is attached to said eccentric member and the other end of which is guided for reciprocation, a second reciprocating element, a pivoted link interconnecting one end portion of said first reciprocating element and one end of said second reciprocating element, the other end of said second reciprocating element being connected to said dasher in offset relation to the axis thereof.

6. In a washing machine having a tub, a drive shaft, a dasher surrounding said shaft and journaled for rotation relative to said shaft and the tub, said shaft being connected with the dasher eccentrically of the shaft for moving the dasher bodily in an orbit relative to the axis of the shaft, and means operatively connected with the dasher for causing oscillatory movement thereof during movement through said orbit, said means including a link connection with the dasher and means for reciprocating said link.

7. In a washing machine having a tub, a drive shaft, a dasher surrounding said shaft and journaled for rotation relative to said shaft and the tub, said shaft being connected With the dasher eccentrically of the shaft for moving the dasher body in an orbit relative to the axis of the shaft, and means operatively connected with the dasher for causing oscillatory movement thereof during movement through said orbit, said means including a link pivoted at one end portion thereof to the dasher and having means connected With the opposite end portion thereof for causing reciprocating movement of said link during movement of the dasher through the orbit.

8. In a washing machine having a tub, a drive shaft, a dasher surrounding said shaft and journaled for rotation relative to said shaft and the tub, said shaft being connected with the dasher eccentrically of the shaft for moving the dasher bodily in an orbit relative to the axis of the shaft, and means operatively connected with the dasher for causing oscillatory movement thereof during movement through said orbit, said means including a link connection with the dasher, and intermeshing gears, one of which is fixed to the drive shaft and the other has a pivotal connection with said link eccentrically of the last-mentioned gear.

9. In a washing machine having a tub, a drive shaft, a dasher surrounding said shaft and journaled for rotation relative to said shaft and the tub, said shaft being connected with the dasher eccentrically of the shaft for moving the dasher bodily in an orbit relative to the axis of the shaft, means operatively connected with the dasher for causing oscillatory movement thereof during movement through said orbit, said means including a link connection with the dasher and means for reciprocating said link, including a second link pivotally connected with the first-mentioned link at adjacent end portions and spaced from the connection with the dasher, and means for moving said second link about an axis fixed relative to the dasher.

ALPHEUS W. ALTORFER, J R.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 431,821 Persanowsky July 8, 1890 941,989 Hanson Nov. 30, 1909 2,091,402 Waterworth Aug. 31, 1937 2,192,758 Skinner Mar. 5, 1940 2,416,611 Castricone Feb. 25, 1947 

